Flag stand



R. F. zARAT April 21, 1959 FLAG STAND Filed Aug.` 5, 1956 ,ffl/lll Il IN V EN TOR. .Pazzi F.' Za/az'e BY dew-ff Dea-- Arms.

United States Patent O The present invention is directed to, and it is a major object to provide, a novel oor stand adapted to support 3 in a stationary position a ag of the type which includes a flag stick or stai which is manually grasped for carrying ofV such ag; the stand being especially designedbut not limitedfor use for the flags of fraternal organizations or the like, and wherein it istcustomary to erect suchA flags at formal meetings or other gatherings. Another important object Yofthis invention is to provide` a ag stand which, whilebeing simple in structure, isextremely stable in use so that there is no tendency for the flag to teeter or tip over when engaged in the stand.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flag stand which includes an upwardly opening socket for reception of the lower end portion of the statt; such socket, though normally vertical, being mounted for movement to an upwardly inclined position in order to permit easy and convenient manual placement of the sta in` :such socket and without having to lift the flag above the usual carrying height.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a agstand, as in the preceding paragraph, which includes i a novel 4catch operative to releasably secure the socket in its vertical position; such catch automatically engaging upon the stal being inserted in the socket when inclined and then swung by said stai to such vertical position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a ilag stand which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture, compact in arrangement, and attractive in appearance.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable iiag stand, and one which is exceedingly eiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following speciiication and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspecive view of the flag stand as in use; the ag stai being shown in broken lines and only in part.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation of the flag stand; the upper portion of the socket being broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of the tlag stand; the socket being shown in its normal vertical position in full lines, and in its inclined position in dotted lines.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the iiag stand is constructed in its entirety of metal and comprises a relatively large diameter base ring 1, and a diametral channel 2 of upwardly opening form extends from side to side of said ring 1 Within the same. At its ends, the channel 2 is welded to the ring 1, as at 3; the upstanding side flanges of channel 2 being indicated at 4.

A horizontal, elongated housing, indicated generally at 5, extends diametrally across and is supported by the base ring 1 in parallel. centralized relation above the channel rice 2. The housing 5, which is of inverted, generally boxbeam like form, includes a longitudinal top 6 and downwardly divergent sides 7; such sides being welded at their lower edges to the base ring 1, as at 8.

Intermediate its ends, the longitudinal top `6 of housing 5 is formed with an elongated slot 9, and a socket 10 in the form of a relatively tall tube extends from adjacent the channel 2 and upwardly through the slot t9 to a termination some distance above said housing 5.

At its lower end, the elongated socket 10 is transversely pivoted by a pin 11 in connection with the side flanges 4 of the channel 2 whereby said socket 10 is swing- `able in the slot 9 from a vertical position to an upwardly inclined position which is approximately 45 from vertical. The vertical position of the socket 10 is shown in full lines in Figs. l and 3, while the inclined position of said socket is shown in dotted lines in the latter figure.

When the socket 10 is in its inclined position, it abuts the top 6 at one end of the slot 9; such .socket being located and releasably maintained in its vertical position in the following manner:

The housing 5 is formed at the top and along the sides of the slot 9 with upstanding, longitudinal, transversely spaced guide plates 12 having arcuate upper edges; the socket 10 resting between the plates 12 in relatively close but free-swinging relation, and said plates thus guiding i the latter is vertical, and on the side opposite the path of swinging motion of said socket. A transverse stop 14 extends between the guide plates 12 immediately below the upper end of the arcuate closure plate 13; such stop 14 serving to limit swinging motion of the socket 10 when it is swung from its inclined position to its vertical position.

Upon the socket 10 being so swung and when it reaches vertical position, it is automatically releasably latched in such position by a catch unit, indicated generally at 15, and which comprises the following:

An outwardly and downwardly curved catch tongue 16 is ixed to the socket 1t) below and extending in the same direction as the arcuate closure plate 13, and a spring-pressed plunger 17 normally depends through a bore 18 in the tongue 16 intermediate its ends. Vertically alined bores 19 and 20 are formed in the closure plate 13 and a horizontal flange 21, respectively; the ange 21 being formed integrally with and projecting from the lower edge of the transverse stop 14. The *bores 19 and 20 receive the plunger 17 in slidable relation. At its lower end the plunger 17 is rounded for easy entry into the bore 18, which bore registers with the `bores 19 and 20 when the socket 10 is vertical. The plunger 17 is normally but yieldably pressed downwardly by a compression spring 22 surrounding said plunger between the plate 13 and a xed collar 23; there being: an exposed iinger ring 24 on the upper end of said plunger 17 above the plate 13.

In use of the above described ilag stand, the finger ring is lrst grasped and pulled upwardly which releases the plunger 17 from the tongue 16 whereupon the socket 10 is swung down to its inclined position, abutting in stop relation against the top 6 at the outer end of the slot 9. Thereafter, the flag bearer-walking toward the stand and without materially altering the normal carrying position of the stati 25-inserts it into said inclined socket; the upper end of said socket being iiared, as at 26, to facilitate such entry of the stair".

Nextly, the staff is swung upwardly to vertical position, carrying the socket 10 to a like position. When this occurs the curved tongue 16 engages the spring-pressed wassauts plunger" 17 and the latter `Irides up such tongue until the lower -end portion of the plunger snaps rinto the bore 18 whereupon the socket is automatically and eectively locked in its vertical position. The flag then stands in a 'stalbl'e -erected position.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that'therehas "been produced suchadevic'e as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

Whilethis specification sets forth zin detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in -practice suc-hfdeviat-ions from suchldetail may `be resorted to `as do not'form 'a departure from the spirit of 'the invention, las defined by the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful 'and -upon which Letters-Patent is desired:

l. A ilag stand comprisinga floor supported base, 'an elongated socket projecting upwardly vfrom the base to receive a 'flag stati therein, a housing mounted on and upstanding from the base on opposite sides of 'the socket and including a top plate provided with a longitudinal slot through which th'esocket projects, a pivot element mounting 'the socket at its lower end on the base for swinging movement lengthwise of the slot between an inclined position at one end of the slot and a vertical position, a stop element on the housing to engage the socket when swung to said vertical position, a plunger slidably projecting downwardly through the top plate `adjacent but beyond said stop element and being linger-engageable at its upper end for lifting the same, a flange xed in the housing below the top plate at right angles vto the plunger and through which the latter also projects, a collar fixed on the plunger above and normally engaging the llange, a spring on the plunger lbetween the top plate and collar and yieldably holding the plunger down, and a tongue iixed on the socket and extending lengthwise vof the slot in the direction of the plunger and on a level below the stop element and flange but above the lower end of the plunger; said tongue being positioned and arranged to engage and lift the plunger as the socket moves toward end of the plunger `drops when ther-socket reaches -a vertical position and engages the stop element.

2. A flag stand comprising a oor supported base, an elongated socket projecting upwardly from the base to receive a flag staff therein, a housing mounted on and upstanding from the base on opposite sides of the socket and including a top plate provided with a longitudinal slot through which the socket projects, a pivot element mounting the socket at its l'ow'er en'd on the base for swinging movement lengthwise/of the slot between an inclined position at one end of the slot and a vertical position, a stop element Aon the housing to engage 4the fsocketwlenswung to said vertical position, a tongue xed on the socket and extending lengthwise of the slot in a direction opposite said one end thereof and on a level below the stop element to pass under the same when the socket is in a vertical position, a plunger projecting into the housing in position to be engaged by the tongue when fthe socket approaches a vertical position, means islidablysupporting the plunger in 'the housing for movement ftowa'rd and from the tongue, the plunger including 'a v1ringer-engageabl,e element on its outer end, a collar xed on theplun'ger short of its outer end, -aspringab'out theplung'er Ibetween the housing and collar and yieldably urging lthe plunger against the tongue; the latter being arranged ft'o retract the plunger as the socket swings to a vertical-position and having a ho'le into which'the innerfendof the fplunger drops when ythe socket reaches su'ch position and enga'ges the stop element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,667,330 Jorgensen Jan. 26, "19.54

2,719,687 Hiscock c Oct. 4, 11955 2,763,454 Lindsell r Sept. 18, "1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,044,098 France June 17, v19'53 

